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The newborn is only the size of a jelly bean and slowly crawls into the mother's pouch where it locks onto a nipple and then the majority of development takes place.

Even once it is big and strong enough to venture out from its mother's pouch, the little joey will continue to clamber back in to rest and sleep and will not be totally weaned until it is around a year old.

Home: The hairless joey is confined to the pouch where it will continue to develop for several months before venturing away from its mother - not be totally weaned until it is around a year old

The rare baby tree kangaroo has been bred in captivity at Zoo Miami. It is the first baby for the three-year-old mother

The first-time mother is three-years old and is on loan from the Gladys Porter Zoo in Texas and the five year old father is on loan from the Bronx Zoo in New York.

As part of the breeding loan agreement, the female offspring belongs to the Gladys Porter Zoo and will eventually become part of an international captive breeding programme.

Zoo Miami has been a long time contributor to Matschie tree kangaroo conservation efforts in the wilds of New Guinea.

Matschie tree kangaroos live at high elevations in the Huon Peninsula of Papua New Guinea where they spend most of their time up in trees feeding on a variety of leaves, ferns, moss, and bark.

The mother is on loan from the Gladys Porter Zoo, in Texas, and the five-year-old father is on loan from the Bronx Zoo in New York

They are believed to be solitary animals and the only strong social bond formed is between a mother and her offspring.

This new mother and her joey will remain off exhibit for several weeks to allow for proper bonding and to help facilitate a smooth introduction for this wonderful new addition.